It's been three months since Leon's birthday.
The sun above the Imperial Palace Barossa was as splendid and beautiful as always.
However, the shady place under the bright light seems to have never changed.
At the very bottom, small changes were starting.
The world outside the high wall was still unknown, but the Imperial Palace Barossa was always watching…
…the silver-haired woman with history wrapped around her shoulders like a red veil, who was trying to climb up the high wall.
"I'll be relying on you today as well."
"Oh, please. This old man is glad he could be of help."
Wizard Georg chuckled and answered Elisha.
Elisha contacted her master who had returned to the Western Tower and asked him to send someone to help fulfill the contract.
In addition to the protection of the 2nd Empress, she needed someone to help her when there was a problem.
The reason she didn't tell him when he was still in Barossa was because she thought that if she did, he would attach some of the people he brought with him and use them as watchdogs.
Elisha already had someone in her heart, and that was Georg.
Georg was a 5th-Class wizard, and he belonged to the upper ranks who were recognized for their excellent abilities in the Western Magic Tower, but he was nothing more than that.
When Elisha, whom William thought would ask for a mix of 6th-Class wizards, gave him only one name, Georg, William had a puzzled expression on his face.
Then, as soon as William remembered what kind of person Georg was instead of what class of wizard he was, he immediately understood.
Georg was an ordinary good man.
There were other people like Georg outside, surely, although not many.
4th-Class wizards were usually treated differently outside, and they spent most of their time alone. Their personality might also turn sensitive due to a series of dangerous research. This combination made someone like Georg…
…become even rarer.
Elisha added reality to William's guess by saying that she needs someone to watch over Leon like a grandfather, and also because Georg's pupil is not too old to be able to live comfortably with children.
"…Your Majesty the 2nd Empress…"
A skinny little girl was hiding behind her teacher, Georg, with only her face sticking out.
Perhaps she was around the same age as Crown Prince Asensio?
The cheeks of the girl with pale gray eyes and short, faded blonde hair were full of freckles.
The girl pulled something out of her arms and held it out, letting Elisha check it.
"This should be fine."
At Elisha's answer, the girl's cheeks turned red, and she nodded her head vigorously.
Elisha went to the table near her and scribbled something down on a new piece of paper.
"This one is going to be a little difficult, so I will check it out in three days."
Elisha approached the girl and handed her the paper.
The girl took the paper carefully, folded it neatly, and tucked it into her arms.
Georg watched the sequence with pleasure.
He had been reluctant for some time when he heard the orders from the Tower Master to go to the 2nd Empress' Palace.
However, the discussion about magic and mana with the 2nd Empress, which started by chance, made Georg more satisfied with this order than ever before…
His disciple, whom he now treated as a granddaughter, who followed him to the palace, blushed as soon as she saw the2nd Empress and followed her around like a chick.
Most of the people in the tower were older, and even the rare female wizards were not those who could get along with their disciples.
It was perhaps natural for the disciple to be curious about this 2nd Empress and became attracted to her.
The disciple was intelligent, and the 2nd Empress was the most talented person in the tower before Georg's disciple came in.
The two surprisingly had a lot in common.
And the biggest of them is this.
"Mother, I'm here to bid you good morning. Huh? Jillian is here too?"
The child's, who normally behave confidently and maturely, eyes twinkled whenever he saw Jillian.
Jillian was shy, but didn't hesitate to hold the child's hand.
"You two look like a real brother and sister."
At Elisha's words, the corners of Jillian's lips twitched.
'My little brother!'
Jillian grabbed Leon's little hand with more force, but then slowly withdrew her strength, fearing that he might get hurt.
That little girl was another reason why Elisha chose Georg.
Jillian would be later spotted by William and would be exploited to create magic formulas in Elisha's place.
This girl was the rightful owner of the magic formula that Elisha had offered William as bait.
She is not an enemy, and she has nothing to give Elisha, but Elisha was going to pay the girl a fair price.
This is also good for Elisha herself. Isn't it great luck to be able to have someone who is loved by mana by her side, who is not in full bloom yet, but will bloom dazzlingly soon?
Elisha didn't know what happened to Georg after losing disciple to the Tower Master in the past, but seeing that he cared for her like his own granddaughter, it didn't seem like he could have been able to lead a comfortable life.
Elisha will at least give both of them a better life than being in the West Tower
To do that, one cannot just give or receive.
One should work together.
And as a part of this collaboration, Elisha shared the memories she knew to both of them.
"Mother, Brother said we should have lunch together later."
"Is that so? Then, does Jillian want to go with us?"
Since they have seen each other a few times, they're probably not unfamiliar, but Jillian hesitated before nodding head.
***
The Great Throne, which casts the greatest shadow in Barossa, where the sunlight falls.
In front of the black shield, two swords with rose vines full of thorns are crossed diagonally. The two gates of the entrance with a large engraved mark unique to the Imperial family are always wide open. It is easy to step into them, but it is hard to get permission.
Only the qualified ones could enter the entrance, decorated with 3-meter-wide red carpet that stretched out inward, and the milky white marble staircases that started at the opposite end.
Step up the stairs and one will find the only existence of this empire at the top of the stairs.
Kaiden de Rappelcia Atien, who had been called the best seed to become an emperor and one who had become the owner of this empire with the blood of his relatives!
A throne was laid for him.
No one can help but feel the pressure in front of him!
On the inside of the roof were golden pillars which are like the spears of gods that fell from the sky, the works of old artists who were one of the first in Atien, worthy of praise and songs.
But that alone is not enough.
One should shrink even more and throw oneself on the red carpet.
And that…
…is to worship the only person who can look down on everyone at the end of the gaze they all have to look up to.
The sunlight pouring in from the window met his dark hair and shattered into pieces.
More light fell along his elegant neckline into the dimpled collarbone, which was barely visible in the collar of the navy blue attire.
He was completely beautiful and completely silent.
A moment later, the statue-like being from which human energy could not be felt just a moment before, reclaimed his vitality.
Although the difference was not noticeable.
His lips opened and a low, pleasant voice came out.
"Marquis Blemir, how have you been?"
"I'm well, Your Majesty. As ordered, I have returned after eliminating all the monsters in New Halle."
"It took longer than expected. It seems like you really liked it, despite the many times you've voted against it?"
At Kaiden's words, Blemir's eyebrows wrinkled, but he quickly straightened them out.
With his head bowed down and one knee on the red carpet, the emperor might not have been able to see it, but he was also adept at reading people's thoughts.
It would be difficult once he started to nitpick.
"It was because of some reasons, but once it has been entrusted, is it not the duty of a knight to deal with it completely?"
The New Halle Forest Purification was ordered by the emperor before Blemir joined hands with the 2nd Empress.
It was difficult to refuse the order, so he met several people in a region where the eyes of the Imperial Palace Barossa and the great aristocrats could not reach.
The nobles of the Crown Prince faction were more active than expected and helped him out.
They were frantic and surprised at the Silver Hall, but with the addition of Blemir's threatening tone, later on the opinions were divided and they became noisy for a while.
He had been pressing the issue lightly, but believed that there would be another commotion soon.
Regarding what the Crown Prince had been doing in the Imperial Palace Barossa, the nobles of the Crown Prince faction all complained to Blemir by using telecommunication magic, saying that the Crown Prince had changed his mind. Fortunately, for now, everyone agreed to do Blemir's will of not causing a commotion.
Blemir had heard the gist of it, but he didn't know what the real situation was, so he thought of seeing it for himself.
No matter how much their relationship had widened on the surface, if he abruptly turned a blind eye, it might seem too deliberate.
'Is everything okay?'
Blemir recalled the object in his arms.
His brown eyes twinkled.
Even in this overbearing space, the brilliance did not die and spread vitality.
It was not simply because he is a Sword Master, but because of the unique temperament that Blemir has.
"Duke Fontana is disappointing."
As Kaiden murmured, Blemir lifted his head.
"Yes? What did Your Majesty say?"
Kaiden looked down at Blemir.
He asked as if he really did not hear him.
"You must be tired, are you going to leave right away?"
"I'd like to stop by the Imperial Palace for a while."
"Is that so? Well, it's been a long time since I've seen the prince. Let's go together."
Even though Kaiden had gotten up from the throne, Blemir couldn't stand up as easily.
Because the emperor said that "it's been a long time since I've seen the Crown Prince," when he had never been to the Crown Prince's Palace before.
And the emperor also said that he would accompany Blemir.
Blemir still couldn't figure out why, but as the emperor had already stepped down the marble stairs and his foot appeared before him, Blemir had to move.
As the emperor left his throne, a man stood behind, as if he had come out of the shadows.
It was Rohan, the commander of the 1st Knights Order of the Imperial Palace, with brown hair hanging down from his hard shoulders and eyes of the same color.
Blemir hated everything the Emperor had, but Rohan was different.
When Blemir bowed his head slightly, Rohan greeted him with his eyes, and then walked while checking at the emperor's surroundings.
***
Around that time, Elisha was in trouble.
She went to the Crown Prince Palace and met the prince, then, following Asensio's suggestion to make their meal feel like a picnic on a fine day, she spread a wide cloth on the lawn near the training grounds and ate lunch on it.
It was surprising that Jillian and Asensio, who were supposed to get along well because they were the same age, didn't get along very well.
Anyway, except for that one thing, it was a pretty enjoyable meal time.
Until a group of knights came in from the entrance of the training grounds.
"What the hell are you thinking, Your Highness!"
"Dominique! Be quiet! It's swordsmanship class time. We will meet soon, no need to speak of it at this moment!"
"Just hear me out! We've worked so hard to make it to the 2nd Knights Order of the Imperial Palace! How high are the expectations of the families behind us!"
There was anger in his growling voice.
If he wasn't so excited, and if the knights around him weren't so agitated, they would have noticed the presence of the children right away.
But they didn't.
On the outside of the 30-meter-wide training grounds, a 5-meter-wide dirt road has been compacted, which can be used for various purposes.
Elisha and the children were on the lawn that stretched out beyond the tree.
Crown Prince Asensio's face turned white and he looked back at Elisha.
Elisha caught him about to stand up.
At that time.
"How could you be so obsessed with such a woman that wants to devour not only your life, but ours as well!"
The knight who complained the most, a man called Dominique, eventually blew up.
And with that sentence, Elisha's expression hardened.